Searchers find body of woman attacked by gator in Florida

DAVIE, FLA. — State wildlife searchers located the body of a woman believed to have been killed during an alligator attack in South Florida.

The body of Shizuka Matsuki, 47, was found in a lake in Davie, Fla., officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said late Friday.

A witness told authorities he saw the woman walking two dogs Friday and then noticed the dogs alone, barking near the water. One of the dogs had a fresh injury, a gash on its side.

Officials captured and killed an alligator later Friday and found evidence during a necropsy of the animal that it had bitten Matsuki.

“We would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Ms. Matsuki,” conservation commission spokesperson Rob Klepper said in a statement.

Two days before the attack, an emailed warning about a trespassing gator was sent out to homeowners in the waterfront community where she lived, the Sun Sentinel of South Florida reported Sunday.

Alligators are opportunistic feeders that will eat what is readily available and easily overpowered. Feeding wild alligators is illegal because they could lose their fear of humans.

Fatal attacks on humans remain rare, however. According to the wildlife commission, the likelihood of a Florida resident being seriously injured during an unprovoked alligator incident in Florida is roughly only 1 in 3.2 million.